Toy puppet-like figurine

ABSTRACT

A TOY PUPPET-LIKE FIGURINE IS PROVIDED TO PERMIT A CHILD&#39;&#39;S FINGERS TO ACT AS LEGS AND AT THE SAME TIME SUPPORT THE FIGURINE. IT HAS A RIGID UPPER BODY CONNECTED TO AN ELASTIC FABRIC LOWER BODY FORMING HOLLOW LEGS. THE ELASTIC LOWER BODY HAS A RECESS FORMED IN THE REAR TO RECEIVE TWO FINGERS WITHIN THE LEGS TO SIMULATE A WALKING MOTION. AN ELASTIC LOOP SECURED TO THE UPPER BODY PRESSES THE FINGERS AGAINST THE BACK OF THE UPPER BODY SO THEY CAN SUPPORT THE UPPER BODY.

S. NOBLE ETA!- TOY PUPPET-LIKE FIGURINE Filed Sept. 19, 1989 iNVENTORS GEORGE GILDER ATTORNEYS 3,611,628 TOY PUPPET-ILTKE FIGURE E Sid Noble, West Orange, N..J., and George Gilder, Forest Hilts, N.Y., assignors to Retnco Industries, line, Harrison, NJ.

Filed Sept. 19, 1969, Ser. No. 859,269 lint. Cl. A63h 3/14 US. Cl. 46-154 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toy puppet-like figurine is provided to permit a childs fingers to act as legs and at the same time support the figurine. It has a rigid upper body connected to an elastic fabric lower body forming hollow legs. The elastic lower body has a recess formed in the rear to receive two fingers within the legs to simulate a walking motion. An elastic loop secured to the upper body presses the fingers against the back of the upper body so they can support the upper body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A toy puppet-like figurine has been provided that is capable of easily being manipulated in a walking motion by small children.

The figurine is in two parts, having a rigid upper body and a connected elastic fabric lower body. The lower body is formed with a pair of hollow sleeves as legs and an opening in the upper rear of the legs adjacent the upper body.

A child may insert two fingers through the opening into the legs to give body and animation to the legs. The portions of his fingers near the opening are held against the figurines rigid back portion either by an elastic loop or by the tightly knit fabric, so that the fingers may support the upper body in an upright position while the figurine walks.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a side view of the figurine;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the figurine in use showing a childs fingers inserted in the legs and supporting the back;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a modification and with a childs fingers in position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows a puppet-like figurine it), having an upper body 12 and a lower body 14. The upper body 12 includes arms 16 and body portion 17. The body portion 17 is constructed of a rigid material and has a fiat back 15. (Back 15 is shown in dotted lines because it is under clothing.)

The lower body I4 is made of a tightly knit, elastic fabric, such as tricot. It is attached to the bottom of the upper body and may, if desired, simply be an extension of the clothing on the upper body. It includes sleeves 14 for legs in and feet 21 and has a recess or opening 2d located in the rear adjacent the upper body. This opening permits a child desiring to animate the figurine It) to insert two fingers 19 into recess M and extend them downward through sleeves I8 toward each foot portion 21. An elastic loop 24 is secured to the upper body it) above the recess 24 The childs fingers pass through the loop 24 before entering recess 2%:

Loop 2.4 is of a size such that it will receive the childs fingers i9 and press the upper portions of them against the back 15 of upper body 12. The rigidity of the upper body allows the fingers, pressed against the back, to maintain upper body 12 in any desired position.

FIG. 2 shows the figurine of FIG. 1 in use. The child has inserted his fingers 19 into opening 20 and down into legs 18. The upper portion of the backs of his fingers are held pressed against the back of the upper body, allowing him to hold the upper body in any desired position by changing the position of his fingers. Motion of the ends of his fingers moves legs 18 and so makes the figurine walk.

FIG. 3 shows a modification of the toy puppet-like figurine it) of FIG. 2. Here the fabric of lower body 14- is of sufiicient elasticity, and opening 20 is so dimensioned, that the fabric tension itself will hold fingers 19 against the back of the upper body. The two fingers of the child are inserted through the opening 20 and into respective leg portions I8, the fabric holding the fingers against the upper body 17; and the figurine is used as before.

With either of the embodiments illustrated, a life-like animated figurine is provided which will be capable of manipulation and utilization by small children since it it relatively easy to operate and small in size.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy figurine adapted to be supported and manipulated by the fingers of a child including an interconnected upper body and lower body, said upper body being made of a rigid material, and said lower body being made of a flexible elastic material, said lower body including a recess in the back adjacent said upper body and two independently movable hollow legs into which said fingers may be inserted through said recess, said recess being dimensioned to receive said fingers adjacent the back of said upper body and upon receiving said fingers tensioning said flexible elastic material to grip said fingers and press them against the back of said upper body, thereby to support the upper body in an upright position While permitting said fingers to animate said legs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,865,305 6/1932 Dallas 46l54 2,619,771 12/1952 Jones 46154 FOREIGN PATENTS 592,466 9/1947 Great Britain 46-454 RUSSELL R. KINSEY, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner 

